Taking up the issue on the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005, on Wednesday, the directive came from the Rajasthan Human Rights Commission.
“The fundamental right to life granted by the Constitution cannot be abandoned. A life of a concubine cannot be called a dignified life for a woman. The word concubine in itself is serious character assassination and a disgusting way to address a woman. Such a woman cannot protect her rights in any sense", a media report quoted the bench as saying.
Commission member Mahesh Chandra Sharma has been in the news in the past for suggesting “Peahen drinks the tears of peacock to get pregnant”.
The commission’s request, however, evoked a sharp response from many on social media. Many of them termed the suggestion to prohibit “live-in relations” as an infringement of people’s right to lead life as per their wishes and a reflection of an archaic mind-set.
Some people, however, took offence to the rights body for terming women in live-in relationships as “concubines”, while several others mocked its member Mahesh Sharma for his old “Peacock” remark.
Others said that such steps could be useful for all those who have to suffer in their marriage due to such relationships or exploitation.
Stating that in live-in relationships a woman has to sacrifice her right to a dignified life, the Rajasthan Human Rights Commission said that it had invited suggestions from stakeholders, including police and civil society, on whether a law should be enacted to provide security to women in live-in relationships.
“It said since women in live-in relationships are not able to secure their fundamental rights, it was the duty of the State government and human right activists to run awareness campaigns against such cohabitation outside marital boundaries", an Indian news agency said, citing the commission’s request to the Rajasthan and central governments.
“It is the duty of the state and the central governments to take immediate steps and prohibit live-in relationships by enacting a law”, the Bench added.